Caliente tropics Resort in Palm Springs, California re-opened in March 2001 after an extensive $2.2 million renovation and is one of the last and greatest examples of the classic Polynesian-styled motor hotels of the 60s. Our Polynesian and Tiki Playground now features up-scale, boutique-styled guestrooms with custom furnishings. Our exterior has been made over to celebrate the original mid-century look when the resort opened in 1964 - A True Palm Springs Icon.

On 2003-07-22 21:37, CaseyJ@Calientetropics.com wrote:NOTE: I'd really like to hear some memories from those who had a "tropics" experience before it became the Caliente tropics Resort!

When planning a visit to Palm Springs a few years ago I called the Tropics to inquire about a room and was disappointed by the unfriendly reception by the person on the phone. I asked her if there were still tikis on the grounds and she replied "Huh?". She thought I was crazy!

I had heard about a place called the Indianola Motel that had been decorated with tikis so I called them and reserved a room. I heard that they were "gay friendly" and that was fine with me and my girlfriend. However, when we arrived they were taken aback by my arriving with a woman. They said "we might feel uncomfortable because some of the guest like to lounge around naked by the pool." I think he meant more than lounging around so we took the hint and found lodging elsewhere. We never got to see the Tropics that trip.
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After more than two years of searching and unsuccessfully bidding on about a half-dozen, 30-40 room properties we "landed" an equity partnership with a family who purchased the Resort.

The tropics was a hell-whole with male prostitutes in the rear condos, drug dealers and low lifes hanging out next to the parking lot pay phones, and a surly, nasty "manager" who sat in the lobby watching soap operas and eating all day. The lobby smelled like cooked leftovers all the time and the kitchen they used was so filthy I didn't want to walk through it.

The first time We walked-through and filmed video, I caught the owner (this loonatic Korean guy) digging through the trash bins at the rear of the property at 6:00am. Yes, he was DIGGING.

And now I have the pleasure of getting to know all of you! This is way too long, so I'll continue later . Look for part #2!

Charlie (my business partner) let THAT card slip through his hands in the bidding process on eBay. Sven dropped the same picture of the same series postcard at the Resort just before he went to Europe this year.

Here's one of those weird things I was referring to before...The original sign was an outrigger and a sail. Thanks to the BOT and a trip to the tropics in Indio, we chose the exact same orange sphere for our sign. Little would we know, 2.5 years later, it was part of the artists'/architects' original concept! And something equally as cosmic (personally), the pool at my place is the same shape as the sign (dad bought the house 1.25 mi from the Resort, 1.5 months before our soft opening). Kinda weird, huh?

We spent a weekend at the Caliente in June. We missed the Tiki Oasis by a few weeks but decided we had to check it out...

Had a great time. The room was great, the pool was great, the people were friendly and the drinks from the reef we're strong and tasty!

One suggestion, have music playing by the pool. The first day by the pool was highlighted by the Les Baxter tunes wafting out of the Reef's patio area... it was magical. The next day, no music. Still had a great day but it was just missing that little something extra.

We will definately be visiting again, when the insane hot-ness dies down.

If I remember correctly we showed-up on September 30 and took over on October 1, 2001. We lasted through Bikers' Weekend, with a loyal group of about two dozen firemen and police officers primarily from Las Vegas, who came-in on their Harleys (evidently, they were regulars).

Out of 142 rooms and condo units, we had some 23 that we could actually sell. There were wires hanging in the pool, coming out of the defunct pool light assemblies and the pool had to continually be "shocked" to make it useable. On the Friday the bikers showed-up, the Riverside County Health Department shut the pool down, with yellow-tape, like a crime scene. There was a horrific acrylic (illegal) spa sitting in the middle of the Tahitian Lanai as well, and the original whirlpool (the one we use now) was filled-in with dirt, covered with cement, and had the "large" current poolside tiki planted int he middle of it.

We closed the resort the following Monday and soft opened in mid-March, 2001. Our Grand Opening was May 16, 2001 (it was sellable and presentable but far from done). The tropics Hotel became our personal tiki money pit. No matter how much we money and time we spent, the surprises kept popping-up, over and over.

104 was our office during contruction and Charlie and I lived in 103 for a while. He and Derek moved into the Tahitian Lanai at one point and Ana lived in another room, which I can't recall. For two-to-three months (Dec/Jan/Feb) we had to walk through the construction every morning, in our t-shirts and shorts and sometimes robes, past the construction people, to shower in the Tahitian Lanai (I believe it was 222), the only wing with hot water. Ana, Charlie and I were joined at the hip for months and took turns unlocking, opening and locking, closing the cyclone fence to go out to eat almost every night. Charlie told his mother "I always wanted to live in a gated community."

There was a period of about 30 days where we had anywhere from 20 to 40 trucks in the parking lot every morning at 7:00am. The pool was jack-hammered-out and there was no fence. The pool, the Tahitian Lanai, and the parking lots were nothing more than a huge mound of dirt and some old asphalt with little definition.

I'm certain this is rather long, so I'll continue at another point. I guess I should scan and post some pictures--they are rather interesting.

Yes Casey! Pictures please! Some people may not realize that a business venture can be an ADventure just to get where you need to be. I've been through several business investments and it's not walk-in-the-park. Maybe investing in Proctor & Gamble's stock would be good, since Pepto-Bismol is probably used by entrepreneurs more than anyone! HA!

Been to the Tropics a few times, always for the Tiki Oasis festivities! The place is great! Lots of tikis everywhere especially by the pool. Not to mention they have a super fabulous A-frame roof! Very 50's, very retro, super nice staff, just an A+ place to stay!